Cylinder rack



y 1942; H. E. HEIGIS 2,288,622

CYLINDER RACK Filed July 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 c INVENTQR PatentedJuly 7, 1 942 CYLINDER RACK Henry Ernest Heigis, West Orange, N. J.,assignor to Specialties Development Corporation, Bloomfield, N. J acorporation of New Jersey Application July 16, 1940, Serial No. 345,710

4 Claims.

This invention relates to racks, and more particularly to racks for thelateral support of cylindrical objects such as metal cylinders orcontainers, generally used for storing fluid media under high pressure.

The use of metal cylinders or containers, especially for the storage ofliquid carbon dioxide for fire extinguishing purposes, is widelypracticed and the need for a convenient method of supporting thesecylinders or containers has been felt for some time. The primerequisite, for such a supporting rack is extreme adaptability orflexibility, since the cylinders have to be placed in a great variety ofarrangements and, if possible, each cylinder should be easily andseparately removable from the group as a whole, in order to facilitateservicing and the initial erection.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a supportingrack for use with a group of cylindrical containers which permits easymanipulation of each individual container without the necessity fordisturbing other containers of the group.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rack, asstated above which comprises a plurality of separate link-like memberseasily assembled to form with the containers a rigid and unitarystructure.

These and other objects will becom apparent from the description of anembodiment of the If invention as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a typical rack and cylinderassembly in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of a number of rows of cylinderssupported by two rack assemblies, while Figure 3 is a plan View of asingle row cylinder rack.

Referring to the drawings in detail, where similar reference charactersindicate corresponding parts, I represents the supporting wall insection; 2 a base or bracket member which is shown in this case tocomprise an angle piece fastened to the wall; 3 the back chocks, eachformed to provide a frontal support for two cylinders; 4 the bolts bywhich said back chocks are secured to the bracket member; 5 thecylinders supported by the rack; 6 the spacer chocks adapted to be eachformed to give lateral outside support to two cylinders; and 8 the boltsby which the back chocks,'spacer chocks and end clamps areinterconnected.

In practice, when a number of rows of cylinders are to be placed inposition, the bracket member-'2 is fastened to the supporting wall I anda back chock 3 is bolted to the bracket, one for each two rows ofcylinders formed at a right angle to the wall. The first row ofcylinders parallel to the wall is then arranged alon side the backcho'cks, and spacer chocks 6 are bolted to the back chocks. It is seenfrom inspection of the drawings that there is such a spacer chock foreach space formed between four cylinders, so that, when the bolts are inplace, each cylinder by virtue of the configuration of the back andspacer chocks which conform to the shape of the cylinders, is securelyheld in place. On the side and at the front of the whole group, endclamps l bolted to the spacer chocks, as seen in Figure 1, and to theback chocks as in Figure 3, serve to retain the cylinders on the outsideof the group. Thus, cylinders comprising a single row or more, up to anydesired number of rows and in any desired arrangement, may be speedilyand securely assembled.

Another inherent advantage is that it is possible, for instance, in thecase of a one-row group, (Figure 3) to weigh an individual cylinder inplace by merely loosening two bolts and then swinging the end clamp to avertical position. This is of great importance in connection with carbondioxide containers which have to be weighed periodically. The number ofcylinders in the group, too, may be varied subsequently simply by addingor takin away the corresponding number of rack elements. It is thus seenthat an exceptionally flexible and adaptable type of rack has beenprovided, in accordance with the objects set forth.

Depending on the height of the cylinders the use of a top and bottomrack is indicated, as shown in Figure 2. The individual parts of therack may be made of any material, preferably metal, capable ofwithstanding the stresses encountered.

While the invention has been described in connection with the details ofconstruction shown in the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the invention can be embodied in otherforms of construction without departure from the scope of the invention,and for this reason I do not wish to be the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A rack assembly for the support of a group of upright cylindricalobjects arranged in rows of width and depth, comprising a base member;back chocks secured to said base member, each two of which together areadapted to form a supporting cradle for each of the objects adjacentsaid base member, a spacer chock disposed in each space formed by fourof the objects; an end clamping member disposed on the outside of thegroup between each two end objects; and

connecting links removably tying said end clamping members to thenearest spacer chocks and all members of the assembly in depth.

2. In a rack assembly for the support of a group of upright cylindersarranged in rows of width and depth, having a base member: a pluralityof back chocks adapted to be secured to said base member each formedwith two sides adapted to accommodate the lateral thrust of the twocylinders'adjacent said back chock, and spacer chocks each formed withfour sides adapted to accommodate the lateral thrust of the fourcylinders surrounding it, and connecting links between each back chockand the nearest spacer chock, whereby each cylinder except the last onesin the row parallel to and adjacent to said base member is supported bythe cooperation of four thrust taking sides, one each on the two backchocks and the two spacer chocks adjacent the cylinder.

3. In a rack assembly for the support of a group of upright cylindersarranged in rows of width and depth, having a base member, back chocks,spacer chocks, and end clamps: the combination for the support of thecylinder adjacent said base member in the outside row, of two backchocks, a spacer chock and an end clamp, and connecting links betweensaid spacer chock and one of said back chocks and said end clamp.

4. In a rack assembly for the support of a group of upright cylindersarranged in rows of width and depth, having a base member, spacer chocksand end clamps: the combination for the support of each cylinder in theoutside width and depth rows except the corner cylinders, of two spacerchocks, two end clamps; and connecting links between said end clamps andsaid spacer chocks and a connecting link between the spacer chocks.

HENRY ERNEST HEIGIS.

